Refrigeration



Nov. 20, 1928.

C. G. MUNTERS REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 21, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l III Z mxm xwmgwm 1 u T a ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1928.

C. G. MUNTERS REFRIGERATION Filed Sept. 21, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet TOR TTORN EY 1111",. I I a a 2 4 K Rx a 3 Patented Nov. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL GEORG HUNTERS, OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOB TO ELECTROLUX SEBVEL CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01' DELA'WABEQ REFRIGERATION.

Application filed September 21, 1926, Serial No. 186,753, and in Germany August 8, 1926 3 This invention relates to refrigerators of the type employing eva oration of a liquid refrigerant for the protihction of refrigeration. The invention aims to provide a novel evaporator for use with refrigerating systems havlng the qualities, amongst others, of lar e heat transmission area, lightness, strengt compactness, neatness of appearance, readiness of manufacture, durability, and freedom from leakage. -M novel evaporator is particularly applicabli; to use with systems using a relatively high evaporator pressure.

The nature of my invention will be apparent from a description of structures showing the same. To this end, I shall describe the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one form of evaporator made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

ig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and 7 i 4 shows a modified construction.

In ig. 1, reference character 10 designates the evaporator generally. In s eaking of the evaporator, in this instance, refer to the combined arrangement of receptacle in which evaporation or boiling takes place and a sur-- rounding structure for transmitting heat, as will presentl appear. The evaporator is situated insi e a refrigerator cabinet insulated in any suitable manner designated by reference character 11. 12 is a cork insulation for the refrigerator cabinet. The make of the refrigerator cabinet is not important-as respects the present invention. The evaporator is preferably placed in the upper part of the refrigerator cabinet.

' The evaporator com rises principally a steel shell 13 which is cy 'ndrical with rounded ends and an aluminum casting 14 which surrounds the steel shell and is firmly united thereto. The steel shell is of the type shown in Patent No. 1,609,334, granted December 7, 1926, this being chosen as a preferable form for illustration. Within the steel shell are a series of vertically disposed disks 15. These disks have openings 16 in the same and serve to form a large surface for liquid contact with gas in the evaporator shell. The evaporator is supplied with liquid ammonia or other refrigerant through conduit 17 and is'supplied with an auxiliary agent of diffusion such as hydrogen; through conduit 18; Conduit 17 Heat exchanger 21 exchanges heat between the cold fluid within chamber 20 and the warmer fluid within tubes 22 and chamber 23 and within conduit 17. Heat exchanger 21 passes through a wall portion 24 and is connected to the remaining portion of a. re-

frigerating ap aratus which may be of the type describe in application Serial No. 130,086, Patent No. 1,609,334.

The aluminum casting surrounding steel shell 13 comprises a front wall 25 having a series of vertical fins 26 on the same. Wall 25 and vertically disposed fins 26 are exposed to view when the door of the refrigerator cabinet is open. Steel shell 13 is disposed to one side 0 the compartment to be cooled, leaving room within the aluminum casting for a series of compartments 28 adapted to receive drawers or molds for the formation of ice cubes. These compartments 28 are contained between side walls 29 and 30, a back wall 31', a top wall 32 and a bottom' wall 33. A series of webs 34, extending horizontally, separate compartments 28 and act as supports for whatever is to be placed withinthe compartments. The side walls, the top wall and the bottom wall are extended forwardly as indicated at 35 in Fig. 2 so that a door may be placed on the front of the compartment enclosure. A series of vertical" fins 36 are formed integral with side wall 30. A circular portion 37 surrounds steel shell 13 and is integral with the walls surrounding compartments 28. A side wall 40 is arranged on the side of the steel shell opposite to the compartments 28 so that the whole evaporator has substantially the shape of a rectangular arallelepiped. A web41 extends between rout wall 25 and the portion indicated by reference character 37. This forms two passages 42 and 43 extending vertically through the aluminum casting through which air may circulate. Fins 45 are arranged on side wa l 40 and fins 46 are arranged on the back portion of the aluminum casting. Aluminum is 7 also cast around conduit 18. The portion of the casting which surrounds the steel shell extends downwardly a distance indicated by he formed through the aluminum casting. A

casting could be made which would have a great number of vertical passages through the same and which could dispense with fins extending vertically on the outer side of the same. The aluminum may be cast around the steel'shell in one block or the casting may. be formed separately and the shell 13 may be slipped into an appropriate passage in the aluminum casting and the two bound tightly together by pressure. Mechanical force may be used to press the two parts together or heat and shrinkage may be employed.

My invention is particularly adapted to high pressure systems. In such systems it is necessaryl that the evaporator be made of steel or ot er heavy metal. The circular form is the best for purposes of strength. A circular container, however, has a small heat transmission area. My invention obtains an eveh temperature through the evaporator, an acceleration of heat transmissionyand a small volume of apparatus for a large and effective surface of heat transmission.

The evaporator is supported in the upper part of the refrigerator cabinet by means of brackets 55.

Figure 4 shows an aluminum casting into which a steel shell and connections may be forced and set. The portion 37 has inward projections 60 which are arcuate and so machined or otherwise finished as to have a very close fit with shell 13 upon forcing the shell into the casting. The irregular formation afforded by projections 60 gives a tighter fit as it allows some give to the metal. Holes 61 are provided in webs 34 for drainage.

Instead of steel and aluminum, other similar and appropriate substances or compositions may be used.

It is to be'understood that I am not to be limited to the herein described embodiments of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An evaporator comprising a steel shell having an evaporator space, means to su ply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant rom said shell and a mass of aluminum surrounding said shell and tightly bound thereto, said mass comprising walls forming a box-like compartment for holding ice-molds.

2. An evaporator comprising a steel shell having an evaporator space, means to supply refrigerant to said shell, an aluminum casting surrounding said shell, a plurality of vertically extending passages for air through said casting, a plurality of vertically extendin" fins on said casting, a series of walls in said casting forming an enclosure and a series of webs dividing said enclosure into a plurality of compartments adapted to contain ice-molds.

3. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress metal having an evaporation space, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a cast ing of relatively flexible, light weight metal surrounding said shell, a passage for air through said casting, a plurality of vertically extendin fins on said cas ing, a series of walls in said casting forming an enclosure and members within the enclosure for holding ice-molds.

4. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress metal having an evaporation.

space, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a casting of relative] flexible, light weight metal surrounding said shell, a plurality of fins on said casting, a series of walls in said casting forming an enclosure and members within the enclosure for holding ice-molds.

5 An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material, means to supply re-. frigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a. heat transmitting member of relatively flexible material comprising walls forming an enclosure adapted to receive icemolds and a curved portion extending outwardly from said enclosure and secured around said shell.

6. An evaporator comprising a steel shell, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a heat transmit ting member comprising walls forming an enclosure adapted to receive ice-molds and a curved portion integral with and extending outwardly from said enclosure and secured around said shell with heat transmitting contact surfaces tightly bound together.

7. An evaporator comprising a steel shell and a mass of aluminum surrounding said shell and tightly bound thereto, said mass comprising walls forming an enclosure forthe reception of ice-molds.

8. An evaporator comprising a cylindrical steel shell, a series of members within said shell for distributing liquid refrigerant and a mass of aluminum surrounding said shell and tightly bound thereto comprising walls foriging an enclosure for the reception oficemo s.

steel shell, a series of members within said shell for distributing liquid refrigerant and a web structure of cast aluminum surround ing said shell and tightly bound thereto comprising wal-ls forming an enclosure for the reception of ice-molds.

10. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material and a web structure of i ceptacle containing an evaporator space,

means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from'said receptacle, a heat transmitting member comprising walls forming an enclosure adapted to receive ice-molds and a curved portion integral with and extending outwardly from said enclosure and cast around said receptacle.

13. An evaporator casting adapted to be assembled into an evaporator structure com- 7. prising a unitary cast metal mass having an extended surface, all the surface being exposed to the atmosphere prior to assembly, said mass including a box-like portion for the reception of ice-molds, a series of vertical passages through the mass for circulation of air and a portion extending outwardly from said box-like portion to form a space for receiving an evaporation member.

1'4. An evaporator casting adapted to be assembled into an evaporator structure com prising a unitary cast metal mass having an extended surface, all the surface being exposed to the atmosphere prior to assembly and comprising a front member, a box-like portion for the reception of ice-molds open to' the front, a curved portion extending outwardly from said box-like portion forming a space for receiving an evaporation member and a relatively lar e number of parallel vertically extending fins on the front side of said front member.

15. An evaporator casting adapted to be assembled into an evaporator structure comprising a unitary cast metal mass having an extended surface, all the surface being exposed to the atmosphere prior to assembly, said mass including a box-like portion for the reception of ice-molds, a series of vertical passages through the mass for circulation of air, a portion extending outwardly from said box-like portion to form a space for receiving an evaporation member and a series of vertical fins on the outside of said casting.

16. An evaporator casting adapted to be assembled into an evaporator structure comprising a unitary cast aluminum mass having an extended surface, allthe surface being ex posed to the atmosphere prior to assembly, said mass including a box-likeportion for the reception of ice-molds, a series of vertical passages through the mass for circulation of air and a portion extending outwardly from said box-like portion to form a'space for receiving an evaporation member.

17. An evaporator comprising a steel shell, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a heat transmitting member comprising receptacle forming parts adapted to form enclosures for the reception of material to be refrigerated, a series of containers adapted to be placed in said enclosures'and held by said parts and a curved portion integral with the enclosure forming parts and secured around said shell with heat transmitting contact surfaces tightly bound together.

18. An evaporator comprising a cylindrical steel shell, a series of disks Within said shell for distributing liquid refrigerant and a web structure of cast metal comprising a curved portion secured around the cylindrical shell and comprising receptacle forming extensions adapted for forming enclosures for the reception of material to be refrigerated and a series of containers held by said parts in said enclosures.

19. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material and a web structure of more flexible material comprising a curved portion tightly bound around said shell, extending parts forming an enclosure for the reception of material to be refrigerated and metallic supporting means within said enclosure in direct metallic heat transfer relation with said shell.

20. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, and a metallicpath heat transmitting member tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming an enclosure and metallic supporting means within said enclosure for supporting icemolds, said supporting means being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

21. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, and a metallicpath heat-transmitting member tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming an enclosure and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, said supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between-individual ice-molds and said shell.

22. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refri erant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, and a cast metallic-path heat transmitting member tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming an enclosure and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, said supporting shelves being cast integral with said heat transmitting member and serving conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ire-molds and said shell.

23. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a cast metallic-path heat transmitting member of relatively flexible material 4 comprising walls forming an enclosure and a curved portion extending outwardly from said enclosure secured around said shell and metallic supporting means within said enclosure for supporting ice-molds, said supporting means being arranged conjnnctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual icemolds and said shell.

24. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a cast metallic-path heat transmitting member of relatively flexible material comprising walls ,forming an enclosure and a curved portion extending outwardly from said enclosure secured around saidshell and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, said supporting shelves being cast integral with said heat transmitting member and serving eonjunctively with other ietal of said heat transmittin member to permit transmission of heat directly throughmetal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

25. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell and a metallicpath heat transmitting member tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming a box-like enclosure and a plurality of vertically spaced metallic shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of icemolds, one above the other, said supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting inember to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-moldsand said shell.

26. An eva orator comprising a shell,

means to supp y refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell and a metallicpath heat transmitting member tightly ound to said shell comprising walls forming a box-like enclosure and a plurality of vertically spaced metallic shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of icemolds, one above the other, said supporting shelves being integral with said heat trans mitting member and serving conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmittlng member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual icemolds and said shell.

27. An evaporator comprising a shell of high stress material, means to supply refrigerant to and withdraw refrigerant from said shell, a cast metallic-path heat transmitting member of relatively flexible material comprising walls forming a box-like enclosure and a curved portion extending outwardly from said enclosure secured around said shell and a plurality of vertically spaced metallic shelves within said enclosures for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, one above the other, said supporting shelves being cast integral with said heat transmitting member and serving conj unctively with other metal of said heat transmittin member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual icemolds and said shell.

28. An evaporator comprising a cylindrical steel shell, a series of members within said shell for distributing liquid refrigerant and a web structure of cast aluminum surrounding said shell and tightly bound thereto comprising walls forming a box-like enclosure and a plurality of vertically spaced metallic shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, one above the other, said supporting shelves being cast integral in the aluminum web structure and serving conjunctively with other aluminum of said structure to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell. i

29. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigeration producing fluid to the upper part of said shell and means to withdraw fluid from said shell, a metallicpath heat transmitting member tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming an enclosure and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, one above the other, the upper shelf being adjacent the upper part of the shell and said supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

30. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigeration producing fluid to a portion of said shell, means to withdraw fluid from another portion of said shell, a metallic-path heat transmitting member lllli tightly bound to said shell comprising walls forming an enclosure and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of icemolds, one above the other, some of the shelves being arranged adjacentthat portion of the shell to which said refrigeration producing fluid is supplied and said shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

31. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigeration producing fluid to the upper part of said shell, means to Withdraw fluid from said shell and a series of disks within said shell for distributing liquid refrigerant, a metallic-path heat transmitting member tightly bound to said shell com rising walls forming an enclosure and a p urality of metallic supporting shelves Within said enclosure for supporting a plu rality of ice-molds, one above the other, the upper shelf being adjacent the upper part of the shell andsaid supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individualicemolds and said shell.

32. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigeration producing fluid to and Withdraw fluid from said shell and a metallic-path heat transmitting member comprising a curved portion secured around said shell and comprising walls forming a box-like enclosure and a plurality of verticallyspaced metallic shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of icemolds, one above the other, said supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

33. An evaporator comprising a shell, means to supply refrigeration producing fluid to the upper part of said shell and means to withdraw fluid from said shell, a metallicpath heat transn'iitting member comprising a curved portion secured around said shell and comprising walls forming an enclosure and a plurality of metallic supporting shelves within said enclosure for supporting a plurality of ice-molds, one above the other, the upper shelf being adjacent the upper part of the shell and said supporting shelves being arranged conjunctively with other metal of said heat transmitting member to permit transmission of heat directly through metal between individual ice-molds and said shell.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alfix my signature.

CARL GEORG MUN TEES. 

